“Life is a journey, not a destination.” This is one of my favorite quotes from Ralph Waldo Emerson. It is a powerful reminder to be an active participant in our lives.

We can become so focused on the goal or task we want to achieve we tend to ignore the joy and pain we experienced getting to the goal or doing the task.

The vastness of the learning that can occur when we notice the details along our way is amazing. Being fully present along the journey can also provide an opportunity to notice beauty around us that we ordinarily might miss.

For several years, I walked through a parking lot to get to my office. Along the walk, I passed by a building with a beautiful painting on one of it’s outside walls. The painting would always spark a smile in me each time I saw it.

Keep in mind, I walked the same path every day and sometimes multiple times in a day, yet I didn’t see the mural on all of my walks. There were many times I was not focused on my path. My mind was highly tuned in to reaching my office and what I would do when I got there that I missed out on the opportunity to smile when passing by the artwork. I missed a moment of joy in my life.

When we are working to improve a process or establish a habit, we constantly create, test, and implement very small changes and in no time those small changes add up to a highly functioning process or a reliable habit.

If we decide we would like to have more joy in our lives, many times it takes training of our mind to become increasingly present with what is happening now in this moment.

One of the best ways I’ve found to help me do this is to evoke my senses which allows me to gather information about my daily experiences that I may have been ignoring.

Below are a few ideas for you to try out:

When you listen to a song, close your eyes, this may allow you to hear parts of the music that you don’t normally notice.

Notice the walls in the hallways at your work. You may see artwork that you’ve never seen before.

When you go for a walk, zone in on what you are hearing around you. By bringing your attention to this you may hear new birds signing or running water in the stream near you.

When you go to the supermarket, notice the people in the store with you. You may see an adorable child who is watching your every move with a curious eye.

These are all opportunities to bring an increased awareness to our journey and allow us to experience more joy while being engaged in truly living life. The more we practice this skill the more natural it becomes and before long this is just how we operate.

I was recently chosen to contribute to an article: 11 Ways to Rectify A Hiring Mistake

Tip #10: Learn from the experience

Remember, there’s no shame when a job isn’t a good fit for someone. It doesn’t mean they’re faulty or broken. It simply means the two pieces of the puzzle don’t go smoothly together. Learn from the experience and ask yourself, “What can I do differently to create a better result next time?” – Kris McCrea, PCC, McCreaCoaching.com